A new report suggests that Chevrolet is going to toss away the Volt's 1.4-liter four-cylinder in favor of a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger for the 2014 model year.
If the rumors are true, the turbocharged 2.0-liter will be the same Ecotec unit that is currently found under the hood of the Buick Regal, among others.
In its miscellaneous applications throughout the General Motors lineup, the 2.0-liter mill makes anywhere from 220 to 270 horsepower, much more than the 83 horsepower that the Volt's 1.4-liter churns out.
The Volt's new engine will reportedly work in conjunction with a larger electric motor to give the car more grunt, something that Chevrolet wanted from the beginning. When engineers were designing the Volt, they were initially hoping to create a more powerful car but they fell short of their goal because of GM's bankruptcy.
The new and upgraded drivetrain will also power the two-door Cadillac ELR, a more upscale variant of the Volt that will closely resemble the Converj concept that debuted in Detroit in 2009. The ELR will ride on the same Delta II platform as the Volt and it is scheduled to make its debut in the United States in 2014.
GM has not confirmed or denied the report. If the Ecotec is indeed slated for the Volt's engine bay, production will begin in the summer of 2013 in Hamtramck, Michigan.
The mechanical changes will also apply to the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera, the Volt's European sibling.
